1. Field of the Invention
In general, a connector is disclosed for use in connecting planar objects. More specifically, the connector of the present invention is adapted to be connectable in series with other identical connectors and also to engage with a planar object, such as a piece of cardboard.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various connectors have been proposed in the prior art for connecting planar objects such as panels, photographs and films. For example, in Canadian patent 1 146 341 issued to McDowall, a connector or clamp is disclosed which is adapted for clamping display panels. This connector includes a sleeve member having a hexagonal hole formed therethrough for receipt of a hexagonal hinge pin, and a pair of jaw members adjustably connected to and extending away from the sleeve member. An adjustment bolt extends through and between the two jaw members so as to provide a means to adjust the relative positions of the jaw members in order to clamp or unclamp a display panel therebetween. However, to use this connector in conjunction with other similar connectors or to use it for attaching a display panel to a structure, it is necessary to provide a hexagonal hinge pin to extend through the hexagonal bore in the sleeve member. Furthermore, when the connector is received on such a hexagonal hinge pin, there is nothing to prevent the connector from sliding longitudinally along the hinge pin. Also, the hexagonal shape of the hole and hinge pin, while it may prevent rotation of the clamp, requires the clamps to be positioned at 0.degree., 60.degree., or 120.degree. relative to one another, such angles not being the most useful, especially when assembling structures. In addition, the connector is relatively complex in its construction, in that it is formed of numerous discrete elements, such that it would not be suitable for use as a toy, for example, as an element of a children's construction set or the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,002 issued to Nathanson, a clamping device is disclosed which is adapted for use as a component in a children's construction set or for use in erecting actual walls or partitions of a building. The clamping device includes a cylindrical portion with a cylindrical bore therethrough through which cylindrical pegs can be extended, and a clip portion for gripping panel members. However, as with the McDowall connector, the Nathanson clamping device must be used in connection with a shaft member extending through a cylindrical bore in order that various individual clamping devices can be connected to one another. In addition, because the bore is cylindrical, the clamping device is free to rotate about the cylindrical pegs and will thus not provide a stable structural connection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,457 to Mease et al. discloses a hanger unit for hanging dental films. This hanger unit includes a connecting projection and a connecting recess by which a plurality of such hanger units can be pivotably connected to one another, and a clip for holding a dental film. However, this hanger unit is specifically adapted for use with dental films and, as such, necessarily utilizes the recess and projection thereof as a pivot joint with other hanger units, such that individual dental films held by the clips can be rotated out of a pack of aligned dental films for viewing purposes. Accordingly, the Mease et al. hanger unit is inapplicable for use as a structural connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,035 to Berezowsky discloses a paper sheet holder clip which is adapted to hold a plurality of paper sheets in stacked relation to one another, but not in aligned to relation to one another. A building toy clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,398,852 to Gilbert, and is disclosed for use in assembling various panels together. However, the Gilbert toy clip is not useful for mutually connecting numerous of such clips together.